Blatantly Chained
by Point of Departure
Summary: \\SasuSaku\\ NON AU - Ninja World \\ I woke up as something like a ghost. And upon waking up, I realized a strange, almost transparent, chain jutting out of my chest. On the other end of that chain was a shackle enclosing Sakura's wrist - Sasuke POV
1. Clearly Grey

**A/N (top): I know the beginning is boring, but please stick with until the end! :D **

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Blatantly Chained

Part I

Chapter I:

_Clearly Grey_

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The night is the color of tainted snow. Accompanying that is the foul smell of blood that stains the air I breathe. I can even dimly taste the metallic-like liquid just by inhaling. Although, that is probably because of my own injuries and their bleeding. Pains course through my body from the gashes, bruises, and broken bones that cover me from head to toe. The silence as we sprint through the trees is deafening; something out of the norm for the battle field. Normally weapons clashes and ear piercing screams of dying shinobi are heard. I guess we are lucky tonight. Not that I am too concerned. I am accustomed to conditions like these— worse, even. It is my teammate's reaction to the scenery that is bugging me.

I glance at her through the corner of my eye. She has a gloved hand cupped over her mouth, but I'm positive that doesn't help staunch the smell at all. Might as well get used to it. Like I always tell her, some people aren't fit to be shinobi.

She looks tired— I can see her panting beneath the glove. I sigh in irritation, but briefly remind myself of the unconscious Naruto slung over her shoulder. The idiot is always a load on us, even when awake.

The only reason I keep myself going is by shear will. I ignore my burning muscles that are on the verge of collapsing. Despite this, even, I could push harder, give one hundred percent, if I didn't have to lag behind to keep in pace with Sakura. In the start, we had put a great deal of length between us and our pursuers, but I can sense them closing the gap now. Sooner or later they'll catch up, and we'll be too exhausted to fight.

Gritting my teeth, I jump down, signally Sakura to follow, and silently land in the shadows below. It is oddly cooler down here, and the stillness is suffocating. I can't see Sakura's face through the dark as we hide close to the scratchy trunk of a tree, yet I tense with the aura of her anxiety. Any sound seems threatening in this vulnerable place.

"Sakura," I barely murmur, "Listen."

I give her time to collect herself and control her breathing before going on, "Listen closely: You stay here, no matter what. Don't make a sound."

I grab her arms while saying this, so that I am sure we are close enough for her to hear me. Her body tenses with uncertainty and apprehension, "Keep your chakra hidden, and if that dobe wakes up by any chance, keep him here… I'll be back."

My teammate sucks in a sharp breath of astonishment, but I am already off in the direction we came. I know it is pointless to tell her about it (so I don't), because she'll figured out where I am going despite it. And if Naruto is revived somehow, she won't tell him either.

My plan is to fight our pursuers face to face. The odds are in my favor, considering I have no one to defend but myself, and I'll bet they are just as exhausted. If anything, this can be counted as a team sacrifice— for all I care. Oto nin aren't particularly tough, anyways.

"Five minutes," I deduce, speeding up, "Five minutes and it'll all be done."

It isn't long before they come into sight, and then in killing reach. They are small grey spots in the distance, gradually growing to larger ones. Their speed is the result of some soldier pills, I conclude, charging up my chidori, and struggling to make my eyes blood red once again— but that part is futile. Mentally, I have already come up with three ways to kill all four.

I count down the seconds:

Three…

Two…

One…

At that moment, my hand pierces through the chest of the first, and stabs the arm of the second. I make a motion to kick the third— and closest— one after stopping on a large branch. The contact of my foot to his throat is satisfying. I smirk.

The man turns into a puff of smoke, the real one charging from behind. I throw several kunai for the man to deflect and use another one to swing at his throat. I land a hit; and so far I've gotten two down. The next two come jumping at me from a few boughs ahead— it isn't hard to dodge and knock them down with a few moves. I follow them to the ground willfully, managing to stab one quickly with my Kusanagi and kick the other one in the jaw as he throws a punch. He falls to the ground, unconscious.

My chest heaves in and out from the overall toll my body has taken. My chakra reserves are too low for even another chidori. It's going to be quite hard getting back to Sakura. I gaze over at the two bodies before me; one dead, and one not. I swear I sensed more than four coming our way before. This whole thing seems too easy… I stretch out what little chakra I have and try to sense for others. I pick up nothing. Sighing tiredly, I trudge over to the two bodies and search their gear for some kind of first aid, or even soldier pills, but it goes in vain.

Damn. Everything seems too still for my liking. Taking out a kunai, I smoothly slit the unconscious man's throat and straighten up.

There is a whizzing noise in the air that makes me abruptly alert. From my left and right I see barrages of shuriken fly towards me. I flip backwards to dodge, but before I get to see who my ambushers are; a pain in the back of my head makes my vision go black.

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I open my eyes with ease, staring straight at the bright, rectangular light of the hospital room. The emptiness inside me makes me feel disturbingly hollow, as if I hadn't eaten or moved in days. The sensation after a stomach virus, or a fever, is what it was similar to.

"He is knocked out cold," someone says. I look to see Tsunade. She stands near my bed, looking over my body with a brooding expression. Her frown irks me. Others in the room— Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, and Sakura— hold the same sentiment only slightly intensified. Sai looks like his normal blank self.

"How long?" Kakashi inquires, looking from me back to Tsunade. Her gaze doesn't falter.

"It's hard to tell," She barely says after a hesitant pause. Her sullen eyes seem to look at me with doubt. It is as if her mind is brooding over something more important than speaking.

"I hope he wakes up soon…" Sakura frowns.

I sit up, not noticing the IV in my arm, and scrutinize them with a ridiculing look. What the hell are they talking about? Are they too _sad_ to realize that I am awake?

"Tch. I'm fine you guys." I grumble. There again, I feel that hollowness, only in my voice this time. It seems to echo, "I'm right here."

I look up at them for a response, searching every pair of eyes. Sakura sighs, her orbs giving the slightest hint of upcoming tears. As she brings her hand up to rub her eyes, there is a tiny jingle.

On her wrist is a shackle. A piece of metal so grey it is almost blue that encloses her wrist. I open my mouth to question it; nevertheless Yamato has already begun to say something. I am too preoccupied to pay attention. Never before had I seen a shackle that was almost transparent, like tinted glass.

They continue with some conversation as I examine Sakura trapped wrist. A chain, the same color, falls to her feet in a heap from the shackle. My eyes trail the links, looking for the end or source, which continues out of the pile into a different direction. I find it first on the end of my cot, half shielded by my thin blanket. I yank the scratchy thing away, and follow the chain up to my leg… and then to my hips and arms, and then finally, I am gazing down at my chest, where the metal seems to disappear into my insides, lodged in my ribcage.

I let my hand pick up the chain coming out of me. It feels smooth, like marble, yet tough just the same. Instinctively, I pull at it, trying to remove it from my chest. I can feel it wrapped around my heart, cold and sturdy. It is not too pleasant. All the same, the chain doesn't budge.

"What the hell?" I growl with widening eyes. There is a_ chain_ in my _chest_. I yank at it some more with no luck.

"It seems there is nothing we can do but wait," I then hear Tsunade say remorsefully. Sakura sniffs and Naruto just simply glares at the floor.

"Let's go, Sakura, Naruto," Kakashi suggests lightly, his lone eye showing more weariness than ever before, "Like Tsunade-sama said, there is nothing we can do."

I stare as they make their way to the door.

"I'm right _here,_" I tell them, though I'm not sure they can hear me.

They leave anyways— and I don't try to stop them. Instead I narrow my eyes in thought. The only one left in the room is Tsunade who is going over some paper work with a nervous look on her face. The small hospital room seems to close in on me, preventing me from thinking straight. The events previously hadn't sunk in yet, leaving me as mystified as I have ever been.

I gaze down at my hands and legs. I am clad in what I last remember wearing; my shinobi uniform. And I specifically remember rising this morning to get dressed. This morning, right? My doubts are up now, and for some reason my head is spinning. What happened during the mission? I can faintly recall stopping and telling Sakura something, though I don't remember what. And why is everything so grey?

I hadn't noticed until now that the room is grey; from the miniature bookshelves to the sink and counter, from the window to the small, fresh flower on its sill, or from the cot I am on to the chair next to it. Literally, everything is grey. Even my hands and clothes. Everything but the chain protruding out of my chest, and that seems to look more blue than grey now. I think back on it, realizing something. Sai, Yamato, Sakura… everyone; they were all the same color.

My eyes widen and I gaze over at Tsunade. She, too, is grey. Have I gone color blind? What the hell is _happening_?

I'm obviously not color blind if I can see the color of the chain… Though, then again, I am probably the only one who can see it.

I get off the cot, making no noise surprisingly— I don't even move the thing— and turn around. I then see… my body. My limp, unconscious body, bandaged at the head, and covered with an untouched blanket on the makeshift bed. I remember moving the blanket to follow the path of the chain, though I have no clue as to how it is miraculously untouched now. Dismissing this thought with the sake of preserving my sanity, I trek to the exit of the room and grab the doorknob— unsuccessfully.

My hand slips right through the metal piece. I don't even feel it, like if I run my hand through the air. Like if the object doesn't exist. My brow's scrunch up in confusion and annoyance.

"I can't be stuck in this room," I hiss, walking swiftly to my cot. I try to tug at the thin blanket, though, again, my hand passes through it _and_ the cot.

Suddenly a voice rings in my head, and I am not entirely sure if it is mine or not:

"_There are some things you can and cannot do in this world based on circumstances… Emotions… You can never disturb the real world… Only if—"_

The voice fades out, and I cannot understand the rest no matter how hard I concentrate.

So basically I am stuck in this room until… _something_ happens. Until my real self wakes up and I am brought back from this _world_. I try to sit on my cot— cautiously, mind you; I wouldn't want to fall— and am astounded at my success.

_Based on circumstances?_ I scowl to myself, lying back into the position I had woken up in. I sink through thin blanket and my unconscious body, lying solely on the bed.

Tch. This is beginning to be bothersome.

I turn over on my side in annoyance, trying to find sleep.

It doesn't come.

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A part of me finds it strangely interesting that I am unable to sleep, and that I do not get tired. I have no cravings for food either, not that I would be able to eat despite it. It's like I am a ghost I suppose. It probably explains the uncomfortable emptiness I am constantly feeling.

Even in the face of all this, I rather enjoy the solitude it brings. No constant annoyance from Naruto, no Sakura, no _people_, and no worries.

Many hours pass until I look to the window and find the black night sky to lighten to a grey, guessing dawn has arrived. The dull birds (also grey) outside chirp happily at the sun. I run over things in my mind with my dark eyes closed— how to get back into my body, what to do during the time it takes, etcetera. My hands find the back of my head for cushion as I lay, though I don't feel the usual relaxed stretch in my muscles… well, the stretch I usually felt _before_ this accident. It seems I have no feeling now, as a ghost, or whatever I am.

There is a sudden knock at the door, though I don't know why anyone would knock if there is an unconscious patient occupying the room. I sit up curiously, waiting. Of course the person won't hear me if I say something in response.

The doorknob turns and a grey headed girl peeks in the room hesitantly, her _grey_ eyes scanning for signs of life. Sakura. Oddly enough, the fact that she doesn't have pink hair anymore bothers. It's her trademark. She looks no different than a blonde like Naruto or Tsunade now.

My teammate lets herself in, holding a flower. I'm not familiar with flowers, so I can't tell much about it. It's color comes a shade grey to my eyes, like most of everything else, so all I can estimate is that it is a light color. Sakura pauses after closing the door behind her to look at me— or rather my lifeless body— giving a gloomy sigh. Under her eyes it is darker than the rest of her skin, signifying her loss of sleep. Poor girl, always futilely upsetting herself. It's pathetic sometimes.

She walks over to the windowsill and replaces the old flower with the new one, opening the window slightly in the process. My mind gives notice to the fact that, perhaps, I could be able to squeeze through that tiny opening and escape from this boring place. Sakura, still looking like someone died, takes a seat next to my bed.

"Tsunade-shishou," She begins, stroking my body's arm lightly, "Said that it's unpredictable when you will wake up. But I saw her face… and I saw the wound on your head. I know what she was thinking… She doesn't think you'll ever wake up."

Sakura's voice changes at the end of that sentence in grief. She holds in her upcoming sobs and wipes the tears bordering her eyelids, swallowing hard. I bite my lip and glare at the girls words. _Never wake up?_ The thought is preposterous.

"_Maybe not." _I hear a voice say.

That same voice… That voice from before. I don't know where it is coming from, nevertheless I push this to the recesses of my mind as Sakura continues, twirling the old flower between her fingers.

"I think you will wake up though," She says, "I will make sure of it."

With that she reaches behind me— to my body's head (since _I_ am sitting up, and my head is behind me) that lay softly on a pillow. Some kind of wave like thing, a gas, flows around her palm as she places it to the head. I know that it is chakra, but it is difficult to see with all the colors looking alike and whatnot. I watch her try to heal me, containing some hope that maybe with her help I can return to my body.

"Shishou said that there was nothing left to heal," She informs with faint determination, "And although it is true, I'll still try. Usually unconsciousness is cured by chakra… though Shishou said, in your case… It is different. Weird too, like some kind of voodoo."

I grit my teeth. What she says isn't reassuring as much as she thinks. Mere determination won't get me anywhere. Though I appreciate her trying, I suppose.

…

For the next month or so, Sakura comes in about every morning, replaces a flower, enlightens me on my health progress, tries some healing, leaves for lunch, and then returns to tell me about her day as she does paper work. I never get the chance to escape out the window, because, before leaving, she always closes it in fear of freezing me. There were days where she'd go sparring, and other's where she'd have to go do something, or complete a mission, though never did she _not_ visit (while in the village), even for a few minutes. Naruto often stops over with her, though he leaves quickly after entering. He constantly looks at me and glowers desolately. Yet Sakura seems way more than idyllic being in this room.

Kakashi visits, too, though those are brief— he doesn't particularly talk.

And Tsunade— who checks my health everyday— isn't that bothersome with talking.

My health hasn't gotten any better, Sakura tells me practically every day. I'd like to hear more about it, but she usually talks of gossip after lunch— Naruto making a move on Hinata (finally), and stuff of the sort.

Today, Sakura comes in as usual, replaces my flower, tells me about my IV and how it will need to be changed soon, heals me, and sits to talk some more. The chain from her (lately very blue) shackle jingles as she walks over to close the window. I am used to the sound; having heard it many times in one day over the past month.

Why her shackle is all of a sudden so blue, rather than grey, I have yet to discover.

Speaking of her shackles, today, the chain hanging from it is considerably short. Perhaps I hadn't noticed that it was getting shorter consistently in the last month? I gaze over to my teammate— she is saying something about it being a beautiful day— and examine the metal links falling from her wrist. The chain is so short now that it leaves a straight line on the ground from her hand to my chest. There is no mound of chain on the tiles, and there isn't a trail of it leading out the door from where she came. How? I gape at the fetter, my eyebrows furrowing together. How did she manage to depart last night without dragging me with her if the chain was so little?

"_Naïve," _The voice in my head says, disenchanted, _"And ignorant. Hurry up, you have a time limit."_

"Hurry up with what?" I growl. This is the first time I have talked in a while.

"Well, Sasuke, I'll be back," Sakura exhales, giving a faint grin my way, "I'm going to eat lunch at Ino's."

She makes a beeline for the exit and opens it, stealing one last glance at me before shutting the door. The noise echoes through the now empty room, and unexpectedly I feel a harsh pulling at my chest.

"_Go."_

The chain connecting Sakura and I becomes tense, and my body is harshly pulled off the cot and onto the floor (though I can't feel outside forces, so I suffer no pain). My hands roughly encircle the chain jutting from my ribcage, because this sensation is like someone pulling your bones, your core. It makes me feel controlled.

I scramble up, rooting my feet into the ground and leaning back on my heels in effort to prevent from being dragged. It is fruitless, because I am tugged in whatever direction Sakura happens to be in— the chain is now straight off the ground and through the wall, moving to point where Sakura is. I close my eyes as I she lugs me into the wall.

The impact is surprising.

"_Under certain circumstances, remember?"_ The voice echoes.

What happens is the same thing that happened with the doorknob. I pass through the wall with ease, feeling like it is air, or moreover, like it doesn't exist in the first place. My eyelid cracks open, and now I am in the hall, still being dragged by Sakura, who nears the stairs. I jog up to her, hoping avoid being pulled again.

I glance up at her once I reach her side. She is staring straight ahead, completely in her own world…

Correction: _I_ am the one in my own world. Lately, the thought of it makes me scowl.

"Sakura," I say, hoping that, if I am now able to pass through walls, than perhaps she is able to hear me.

I get no response.

"_Tsk, tsk."_

My face scrunches up and I glower at the ground, "Shut up."

Whoever this _voice_ belongs to, they are making my life way more complicated than it needs to be.

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"So how's Sasuke doing?"

"Same so far," Sakura responds, stopping the motion of her chopsticks as her face falls in melancholy.

"You need to give up on that boy," Ino advises. I glare daggers at the female, although she probably doesn't know it. Currently the two girls are eating boxed lunches at Ino's counter in the flower shop. I, who am not willing to stray too far from Sakura, lest I get dragged again, am standing beside her, watching everything like it is some kind of old black and white movie... All of the different shades of grey around me— the flowers, the food, the wallpaper— irk me to no end, though. I feel like I have lost my memory of what color everything is.

Sakura remains silent. That angers me…

"You come here every morning asking for a new flower to give him. He won't see them Sakura, just like he hasn't seen the other ones from the past month," Ino continues, putting down her chopsticks to give Sakura (who bites her lower lip) a serious look, "You can't waste your day in that room. Like I said, he won't see the flowers, _or_ you. And it's not like he'll appreciate it when he wakes up anyway… He'll be fine without you. You need to go out, have fun… and stop worrying. Let him recover, and soon enough he'll wake up. I promise."

Sakura finally looks up teary-eyed, and Ino's expression softens tenfold.

"Ino, I'm scared," Sakura sniffs, "For him."

"Don't be," Ino soothes, reaching over to hug the girl, "He _will be fine_. Tsunade comes in everyday, doesn't she?"

"Yeah…"

"She'll take care of him if he needs it," Ino smiles, and I find myself slightly disappointed at Sakura's nod to this.

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That night I have no other choice than to follow Sakura home. Her day really didn't consist of much after eating with Ino. She had visited my room once again, though all she did was stare at me and occasionally do more paperwork. It is very aberrant for her to stay as silent as that, I noted. Soon after her visit, she walked through the park, stopping to look at the moon, and then headed home.

Presently, I am in her room, at her bedside.

She sleeps with a frown on her face, and every so often she mutters something; habitually my name. It hasn't been more than ten minutes since she fell asleep, and I already find myself bored. The only thing interesting within the chains reach is her— watching her sleep, that is; however I don't want to do that. I feel that, if I do, she will wake up and catch me staring.

Sighing in defeat, I sit on the side of the small bed and look over my shoulder at her. She parts her lips, breathing out something soft and hard to hear:

"Sasuke," She sighs, and I listen closely, "I… love you."

My eyes slightly widen at the unexpected declaration.

My hands grab the area around the chain instinctively before I gasp.

A pain is shooting through my insides, my torso; a cold, severe pang that causes an explosion in my chest. Like someone has taken a outsized needle and punctured a balloon full of thick water. It's as if I am bleeding inside, an icy liquid traveling through my chest and lungs. This twinge is unlike anything I've ever experienced. Worse than all the pain endured by that damned curse mark, worse than my injuries after my battle with Naruto. I look down, slightly paralyzed, and see the chain being pulled out of my chest with such speed that it makes me dizzy to look. A bitter fluid then bubbles in my throat, growing in quantity until, finally, I heave it out with several coughs. I looked down at my hands and see a black juice covering them. I can't feel it or smell it. I only sense the ripping going on inside my chest.

There's a loud clink, indicating that the chain has stopped moving, and another explosion goes off in not only my chest, but in my eyesight as well. My eyes roll back into my head, and this time I can feel the smack of my face against Sakura's wooden floor.

"_This is your first warning. You have six months."_

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_|||\{To be continued…}/|||_

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**An apple for your thoughts?**

**A/N: I've been DYING to write this for over six months now! For those of you that read ****The Fame****, remember that story I mentioned losing the plot line too? The story I had everything planned out for? Well, yeah, I didn't find those pieces of paper, but I remember most of what I wrote, so I decided to screw looking for it (since it is probably in the garbage… why grandma, why?). How do you like it? It isn't as beastly as I hoped/planned, because **_**I lost the plot sheet**_**, but I am kind of happy with where this is going. Kinda. Eh.**

**I'm really sorry if this is confusing you, but I PROMISE **_**everything**_** gets explained in the end. If you ARE confused and cannot wait for the other chapters to explain this, then I will try to clarify with as many non-spoilers as I can. Just leave a review or PM me ^_^ Any who, this was quite difficult to write, considering everything is in grey/(black and white). I can't exactly describe as much as I had hoped.**

**Sorry for errors! I wanted to get as much down of this as I could.**

**Disclaimer**_**: It's a crying shame that I don't :'(**_

_**Thank you to all who review for this, and ANY of my stories! You give me motivation ;D And I truly and honestly write faster :P THANK YOUUUUU!**_

Next Chapter:(untitled so far :/)

Update: Hopefully this week…? I promise I'll try ;)

**News:**

**The Fame****: probably next on my list to update. About 10% complete, though don't worry, I have the chapter nearly all planned out :D**

**In The Midst Of Luforther:**** On hold**

**Sunlight and Shadows:**** On hold.**

**My Match:**** Hopefully after ****The Fame****, or after the ****Blatantly Chained**** update :/ Meh, I'll try, really.**

**PS: If I haven't responded to your reviews for ****The Fame**** I apologize! :( Fanfiction isn't letting me respond, or maybe it's my computer… I have no idea (probably my comp.) but I am currently unable to open anymore Tabs or New Pages on internet explorer. They just don't load at all.**

**Has anyone heard of Sasuke kissing Sakura in the fifth Shippuuden movie? There are rumors on the internet, though I'm not sure they are true. I HOPE they are, xD, because hell, if they are, then that means we SasuSaku fans have hope! Even if it is a movie not based on the storyline, it means something… Something BIG! (for us at least) If Kishimoto made Sasuke confess to Sakura, I would love him until the day I die… Hm, I should write him a letter…**

_**-In Japanese, you ask?-**_

**HELL NO! I wish I knew the language :p But I sadly, and utterly don't. **

_**-How will he understand, you ask?-**_

**Che, beats me.**

**~-Anyways, piece out homies!-~**

**3 applz**


	2. Painstankingly Long

**A/N (top): Sorry for errors. This is rushed. Constructive criticism welcomed. :) Hopefully this is better than Ch I. On with the story:::::::**

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Blatantly Chained

Part I

Chapter II:

_Painstakingly Long_

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There is a rough, cold surface beneath me when I awaken. A breeze, soft yet icy, brushes my skin, causing me to split an eye open— though the task is much more difficult than thought. My eyelids seem to be made of lead, or some other kind of heavy substance. A blur of grey accompanies the vision I see— and that is nothing out of the ordinary, considering all I have seen lately has been grey— yet, on that grey, is a familiar blue line, swiveled up like a snake ready to strike. I blink twice for my sight to remotely change for the better, and pull my front side off from the cold stone.

_Cold_? I mull, feeling the ground. Outside forces… aren't supposed to affect me.

I place a finger on the chain, recoiling instantly at the unexpectedly low temperature.

Strange.

"_Not particularly,"_ That _damned_ voice chuckles, _"It is _your_ fault."_

"My fault _how_? For what that was done?"

"_Never mind that, you now have five months."_

I stare straight in front of me, searching my mind for something— something I can't quite put my finger on…

"Wait!" I burst out, "How come? Didn't you say I had six? And until what?"

There is no response.

"Answer!"

"_Mm, five now because you've been asleep for one already… foolish kid."_

"Asleep?" I murmur. A pain aches in my head— which makes my façade twist in puzzlement, considering this hasn't happened in past times as a ghost.

Before I am subdued by my own loss of sagacity, I call out, "You didn't answer my other question… Until… _what_?"

"… _It's simple, of course… Until you die, Sasuke."_

The words, once ringing in my head over and over again, take toll on me like a weight. A swarm of questions rattle in my head. Until I die? What do I have to do to prevent it? I reason that calming down is the best thing to do in this situation, yet somewhere inside me I have a need to laugh, as if this voice is playing some sick joke on me. I have a time limit, as mentioned, though I am not entirely sure as to what the voice means by me having been _asleep_.

Suddenly I remember sitting at the edge of Sakura's bed, only to hear a murmur of— now unclear— words pass from her mouth, and then I was gone. In the back of my head, I recall a severe pain somewhere in between those lines; though it's probably from the headache I currently am enduring. As I realize these things now, it's only natural to conclude that the voice meant I had been passed out for a month.

A month though?

I frown at the length. It's such a long time gone to waste. And how did I get from Sakura's room to some rock-strewn pathway that owns an abandoned stone bench? The place holds little significance to me, though I remember it clearly being in the vicinity of the academy.

I gaze around at the grey trees, seeing them sway slightly with the breeze I, too, can feel. My vision doesn't let me see far before it blurs, so I squint. Sadly, the endeavor is a squander of energy. I stand, feeling quite heavy, though I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's from the news of dying, or from lying inert for a month— I _might_ have moved, though, bearing in mind the place I stand and the place I fell?

All this thought is just raging my aching head even more, so I brush away everything from my mind.

Now to find Sakura.

I grasp the icy links with both hands and begin to follow them down the path. They are limp in my hands; I guess that there is some distance between Sakura and I, enough for the chain to pile up and twist. It looks like a river against a grey landscape.

Something about the color of the fetter bothers me. It's different. I may go as far and say it is… dull.

* * *

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* * *

I find Sakura at Ichiraku's, eating lunch with Naruto. Right away I realize they are sitting in our usual seats. A smug expression makes its way onto my face. Nothing has really changed in the last month of my absence. If anything, after this I'll just follow Sakura back to the hospital to hear the usual health report.

I saunter over to take my seat and lean my back and elbows against the counter, staring off somewhere outside of the shop. My ears tune in for the Sasuke-talk— or, at least, I'm expecting them to talk about me. What else do they have in common?—

"So how's," (I raise a brow because _Sakura_ is the one asking.) "Hinata?"

My elbow slips, causing me to fall backwards— through the counter— and onto the tile floor of Ichiraku's interior with a frightening blow. The contact sends a painful vibration through my jaw, though I quickly— as quickly as I can, still being heavy, that is— get up and take my seat yet again.

"Stupid circumstances," I hiss while caressing my jaw bone. I noticed Sakura's voice was faint to my ears, almost as if she wasn't speaking loud enough. It makes me glower at her. These new _discoveries_ are as annoying as _they_ are.

"She's doing great, Sakura-chan!" Naruto beams after swallowing a mouthful of the steamy noodles. The smell of their food now reaches my nose in a cloudy puff of grey, and I bite my lip. Why hadn't I noticed it before? My stomach rolls with want at the unwelcome aroma. Never have I craved ramen as much as I do at the moment. Ordinarily, I am sick of it— keeping in mind how many times Naruto forces me into this shop. My mouth begins to water.

"I really think she might be the one," Naruto adds with a somewhat dreamy sigh. I raise my eyebrows and let out an amused chuckle.

Sakura grins forlornly, gazing into her delicious bowl of food. Naruto quickly snaps out of his dream and deadpans his grey eyes onto her form.

"Oh," he presses his lips into a line, looking rueful, "How's the dating going?"

I scoff. Sakura? Dating? What incongruous thinking.

I roll my eyes.

"Fine, thank you," Sakura states with a smirk, "I think I've met someone."

"YOU DID? THAT'S AWESOME SAKURA-CHAN! Who?"

And then, my sight is covered by something black.

"Kiba!" Sakura acknowledges. I gradually stand and move away to see said male sitting _in my seat_. The asshole _sat_ on me.

I grimace, grinding my teeth, "Stupid _circumstances_."

If I could "disturb the real world", I would at the moment. My hands ball into fists at my sides, tightening more and more every second, until the _voice_ chuckles at me. Immediately I open my palms wide and focus most of my anger on the spiky haired (supposed to be) brunette who rudely barged in (as if it was his place, might I add). My eyes fall to Sakura and then to Naruto. Her eyes gleaming with joy and the latter lets his hair shade his eyes.

"Hey you guys!" Kiba says, winking (pointedly at Sakura), "Mind if I join you?"

"No problem," Naruto utters, accidently snapping the chopsticks in his fist; "You can have my seat. I have to go somewhere anyways."

"But Naruto," Sakura supplicates with the downturn of her lips, "You're not even done with your ramen."

Naruto lifts his head, showing a wide, bright grin, "Its fine Sakura! I promise. Besides, I'm late for my fight with Kakashi!"

The boy runs off with a wave, leaving a perplexed Sakura. Even _I_ notice how poor he is at lying. Naruto Uzumaki _always_ finishes his ramen and you can never, _ever_ be late to a meeting with Kakashi. Two proven facts.

Kiba gingerly takes Naruto's seat and orders a bowl of ramen.

"Any idea what's wrong with _him_?" Kiba asks, pointing a thumb in the direction Naruto ran in.

"I don't know," Sakura nearly whispers, "He probably just needs more time to get over Sasuke. We all did."

My eyes narrow and I step nearer to hear her.

"He still believes in Sasuke," She gazes up at Kiba, "But there is nothing we can do… not even believe. Sasuke is going to die, and we all know it."

My chest rumbles. _Die_? How the hell does everyone know I'm going to die? These irritating accusations make me restless.

The air around Kiba and Sakura turns somber, and they both stare expressionless in opposite directions.

"Let's not talk about this," Kiba states, "How have you been?"

I trudge off toward the hospital now, hands buried in pockets. My shoulders feel slumped, still burdened with the new unknown weight from waking up. _Die_, I brood, _Everyone is so stupid_. My eyes trail from the dusty ground to the softly chirping birds that fly by. My absence obviously hasn't changed anything. I scowl. Even Sakura has practically forgotten about me.

"_Hmm," _The voice agrees.

I pass the park, squinting— mind you, my vision is ten times worse than before— because I believe I spot a familiar person.

Naruto is sitting under a tree, repeatedly stabbing the grass with a kunai.

* * *

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* * *

I walk directly through my hospital room door— passing through objects is like second nature— and automatically snap my head to the cot. Lying half buried under the rough sheets is my pale, sick, and dying body. I cringe at the sight. I look weak to the bone; my cheeks are nearly hollow, and wasn't I in that position last month? The monitor next to my head beeps relatively slow, causing my mood to sink.

I walk toward the only seat in the room and plop down. I expect it to be feathery, but it just feels like everything else I touch: hard. My mind wanders to what Sakura said, and then to the condition of my body. No wonder she lost hope. I'm definitely going to die soon.

"_Five months, exactly."_

"That's relatively long, I suppose…" I muse, placing a tired hand on the bedside.

"_Only if you play your cards right."_

"How," I project, "do I stay alive, _exactly_? What do you want me to do?"

"_You ask as if I can help,"_ says the voice,_ "I'm sorry, but I can't, and don't ask me why. You need to figure it out yourself. Rules are rules."_

"Rules? This isn't a game!" I yell, the hand on the bed balling into a fist.

The voice sighs, _"Death has rules, fool… Don't fret though, I'll give you a hint: Now you are to rely on those you let down in life the most."_

"I already know this has something to do with Naruto and Sakura! What do I do, is what I am asking?"

"_And the question you ask is unanswerable, as I explained. You must figure out _what to do_ on your own. I gave you a big hint. Decipher my words, and use them to your advantage."_

"Tch," I kick the bed, but the result is a stinging pain in my shin.

"_Think."_

Tsunade comes in with a clip board in her hands. A part of me is irritated that she hadn't knocked, though I can't expect her to. She saunters over to my body, examines it, and checks the monitor for data. Her straight face twists into a frown, and she regards my body with a glint in her eye that I identify as pity.

"Same as yesterday," She announces, shaking her head. The hokage switches her gaze to the window, her frown deepening when she takes in the sight of a small vase with a withered and crumply stem half eroded away. The rest was a tiny scattered pile of debris on the sill— though most was blown away by nurses walking by, "And _that_ is also the same as yesterday."

She stays silent for a second, clutching the clipboard close to her cloak.

"I know you don't care," She begins with a hardening glare at my body, "But that girl had come here every single day, and with each of those days, she was getting worse. Worse, because _you_ were getting worse— you still are. I don't blame her for deciding not to come back. It wouldn't be good for her to get too attached… especially now."

Her eyes soften before she leaves.

I repeat what the voice had said to me in my head:

"_Now you are to rely on those you let down in life the most. __Think."_

* * *

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* * *

That exact night I take a stroll, albeit my body— as in _me_, not my real body— not feeling up for it. It is the first time I had noticed that when I let my mind aimlessly roll around while walking, I tend to follow the path of the chain on the ground. Yes, the chain. I had also forgotten that it was there. My hearing is getting so bad to the point where I can't hear the memorable jingle. Or perhaps it is for another reason. The chain does seem a bit stiff as of late. And not to mention it's becoming more and more like that God awful color: _grey_. No longer is it that perceptible blue I took pleasure in being able to see. It is nearly like the rest of the world— and this realizable might drive me insane. It sounds extreme, but I miss seeing colors in my life. If I must die within the next few months, I don't understand why I must go through such torture (i.e. the world I am now in).

I close my eyes and shake my head. Whatever gods there are in the world; they are probably preparing me for hell. What other purpose does this hold, walking around like a ghost?

"_Purpose…" _The voice rings, _"It's not apt to judge so soon. You have yet to discover your purpose."_

I am about to retort when I smell a delicious fragrance that makes a riot initiate in the core of my stomach. I look around and find myself in front of the Ichiraku Ramen Shop. I grimace, turning on my heel— what's the use of tormenting myself?— when I hear a pair of voices at catch my ear and order me to halt.

It's hard to tell who the girl is— this "color issue" is biting off my nerves one by one— but once I see that oversized white dog I am positive the two inside are Kiba and Sakura.

"Sakura," Kiba fidgets, "I really like you… I mean, as more than a friend."

I bend over slightly to see under the short curtains.

Said girl's blush is so strong I can see the shade change all the way from where I am— and that is saying much, according to my meager sight.

"I know you probably still have feelings for Sasuke, but I still want you to consider me… I mean, since he technically isn't a candidate anymore."

Rage builds inside every crevice of my soul— for some odd reason— and I stalk off with my hands dug coolly in my pockets. His words are insults to my ears. He practically tells Sakura that, since I'm going to die, he has a shoulder to cry on. I'd love to see the stunned look of Kiba Inuzuka when I _don't_ die.

I am filled with a short pulse of determination, though that quickly fades into nothing more than dread. I wander around the village for nearly a week, stumbling upon Sakura more than intended. Even with the _hint_ of the voice echoing through my head, the only thing I am truly able to contemplate is how hungry and exhausted I am. (On some days, where I had ended up in Sakura's bed room, I'd find myself jealous of her peaceful sleep.) Fortunately, by the end of the week, I manage to come up with the strange conclusion that if I follow Sakura and Naruto, then the answer to this dilemma will appear to me… somehow. Or that, perhaps, I will get a clue.

And so, I follow them, though watching them go about their day isn't entirely pleasurable, or entertaining. In fact, for the amount of time Sakura spends with Kiba— which is incredible, I don't know how he does it— makes the day even less enjoyable. Their eye-sex isn't helping the fact either. I want to hit something when I am with them. I suppose it's because they are acting like it isn't a big deal that I am dying.

I remember the first time I saw them kiss. Traumatizing memory, I must admit. And I'd rather not go into detail.

Following Naruto isn't hard at all. Not interesting, but not difficult. It leaves me bored sometimes, because all of his days seem the same; ramen, train, ramen, train, and so on. My day is very similar, admittedly, but watching it with nothing to do _but_ watch is dull.

Overall, following them around leaves me with a strange, but plain, feeling of loneliness, especially when team seven has their little gatherings.

* * *

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* * *

I continue this "following" routine— that could possibly be called stalking— for the next three weeks.

Now, I'm in my hospital room. It's around noon; the usual time when Tsunade comes in and reports on my current health. I wait, sitting in the hard, unmoving chair. After eight minutes, Tsunade enters at last with the expected clip board.

I let my mind wander as she does her usual body scan and then some more tests. When she doesn't speak, I see a very deep downturn of the lips— though that isn't atypical. I stare at her until she says something.

"Worse," She whispers, looking over her data once more, "You're getting worse."

My eyes widen and I stand, legs shaky at the quick movement.

"Why isn't it helping me? I am staying with the people who I let down most! Aren't they the right people? What's wrong?"

"_You're quite close, but you're missing it. How are they supposed to save you if they don't _know_ they have to?... You're more ignorant than I thought."_

I drag myself to the door with a glower. This is idiotic. This _whole thing_.

…

That night I go to Sakura's apartment. When I speak, the living don't hear me, so how else am I expected to contact them? My eyes narrow at Sakura's sleeping form. She is muttering someone's name, evidently not mine. I scowl— she is muttering _his_ name:

"Kiba… Mm, Ki… ba…"

Feeling a bit ridiculous, I take one hand from out of my pockets and stretch it out to her face, caressing her cheek.

"Sakura," I say sharply, closing my eyes.

"Sasu… ke," She mutters. My breathing stops, my heart momentarily skipping a beat— This may be my chance…

"Listen."

"I'm listening," She sighs.

"Don't let me die."

I'm not sure if the message gets through, because she doesn't respond. Instead, she simply sinks further into her mattress and exhales. I draw my hand back and sigh, lying beside the girl. I turn my head to gaze at her face with half closed eyes, exhausted.

"Don't let me die," I sigh, and an image pops in my head, or rather a memory, that freezes me until I feel my insides go cold. I see myself— in color—, as a boy, standing on a stone path in the cold night, with a young pink haired girl calling from behind me. A pain hits my brain causing me to close my eyes, being absorbed in the picture. It was of the night I left Konoha.

* * *

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* * *

I wake up in the same spot on Sakura's bed, half expecting myself to feel better from finally being able to fall asleep. Yet the complete opposite has occured— I feel worse; heavier, hungrier, and even more tired than previously. My hearing and sight have probably suffered as well.

Why, though? Didn't the connection with Sakura mean something?

Perhaps it didn't get through. Nevertheless, I push the problem to the back of my brain, heading to see my body at the hospital. Hopefully it was showing some improvement.

"Slightly worse," Tsunade utters, "Nothing serious, fortunately."

Damn.

..

I leave in a rush to find Sakura— by following the grey fetter, of course— because I have hopes that she is showing some kind of sign that she heared me. Or, even better, she is taking action.

I find her on a flat roof top, with the company of Ino, lying on a large table to gaze at the passing clouds. They are silent when I arrive. The wind blows, brushing our skin and making them sigh in relaxation. The feeling isn't mutual, as the uneasiness in me might combust. It seems like Sakura is just the same as the day before.

She opens her mouth:

"Why are we doing this again?"

"Because you said you weren't feeling well. Shikamaru said it clears his mind and makes him feel better," Ino responds, and I smirk with the slightest glimmer of hope.

"Oh… yeah."

"So what's troubling you?"

"I had a dream last night…"

My smirk grows.

"About Sasuke." She continues.

Ino narrows her grey eyes and sits up, "Elaborate."

"He," Sakura frowns; I am perplexed as to why, though, "told me not to let him die… Ino, what if he still has a chance? What if we're all making such a big deal over nothing, and he'll wake up… but he's probably saying he needs help—"

"Sakura, you're just still not completely over him," Ino points, nostrils flaring, "Don't fool yourself, it's not good! It was only a dream, nothing more."

I fold my arms across my chest and stub the leg of the table in attempt to vent my vehemence.

Ino's eyes widen, "Did you feel that?"

"No, what was it?"

"Oh…" Ino, still baring large eyes, peers down at the leg nearest to her, "It was nothing. Probably the table about to give out."

They laugh while I stalk away with the intention of finding something to hit, something my hand won't go through— and hopefully that, under _certain_ _circumstances _(i.e. my anger at the moment), includes Kiba.

* * *

_/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\_

_|||\{To be continued…}/|||_

/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\

* * *

**An apple for your thoughts?**

**|||That Means Review Please ^_^|||**

**A/N: Oh my goodness I've been busy. And Busy, as in, like, annoyed with the people around me that I lose my mood for writing. Honestly, I can't stand my grandma (who I share a room with). I know it sounds awful, but she speaks another language, and talks to me as if I understand. I hope I'm not a bad person because of this :/**

**Okay, so it's 4:18 a.m. (currently) and I really need to go to bed because lately I've been getting bags under my eyes. Haha. I think it's kind of funny. But anyways, sorry for any mistakes. This was a bit rushed :P Any who, moving on:**

_NEWS:_

Blatantly Chained: **The first part of this fic will be about five to six chapters. I know, short, but NO WORRIES :) Of course there is a second part. But anyways, part one is practically COMPLETELY planned out. So yeah, I hope to complete that soon.**

The Fame: **Gahh, Yes I know I said I would update. I'm sorry! I was doing a lot of research for another fic I was planning on starting :/ lol**

My Match: **Yes, it's been… is it over a year? It's been long since an update, my apologies. But I'M NOT GIVING UP! I promise.**

**I will try to update others as well.**

**Okay, so I've been also working on two one-shots (SasuSaku duh ^_^) and thinking of starting two other chapter fics (SasuSaku)**

**One is a pirate fic.**

**And the other is a castle-fic (woot)**

**I've been researching the pirate one A LOT. Hopefully it will come together. It is inspired by Pirates of The Caribbean.**

Next Chapter: {Aww Next Chapter is short :(}

||I'm sorry||

Title: Chapter III: Unbelievably One (subject to change)

Yes, time goes by fast^^

Update: {Damn, I really don't know. I mean, Eclipse is coming out soon, and I also have to read those books… haha I WILL try. I will. ;p}

No worries right?

_**Disclaimer: **__I'm THIS close. THIS CLOSE._

**Ps: I'm listening to Beautiful by Akon (love it). =) ALSO, who else wants to live in Pirates of the Caribbean? I LOVE THOSE MOVIES!**

**-Piece**

**applz**


	3. The Irreversible

/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\

Blatantly Chained

Part I

Chapter III:

The Irreversible

/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\

* * *

For the next month I visit Sakura everyday and every night. I strive to contact her as she sleeps, placing the back of my hand on her warm cheek and saying the same words, "Don't let me die," over and over until I'm sure at least one gets through. Though, none do. I can tell they don't, because in the morning when she wakes up, she pulls away her curtains, inhales deeply at the light of dawn, and puts this silly grin on her face. And so, every morning I scowl at her blurry grey shape, because it's quite irritating. I am trying so hard to communicate with her, yet she ignores me. Probably being distracted by thoughts of that damned dog lover.

On this particular morning, after her usually smiling routine, she has decided to take the day off from the hospital and stroll around the village with Kiba. (It bothers me how she works at the medical center, yet neglects to even look in the direction of my room.)

I boot the pavement of the main street as I pace behind them, hands dug in pockets. The late September air is beginning to chill, though the sun provides enough heat for the weather to leave me unaffected— considering my lack of appropriate clothing. When I gaze up from the ground Sakura is sticking to Kiba's arm like glue, giggling annoyingly at something he says. I scoff inwardly. Her behavior is ridiculous.

"_Aren't they cute?" _The voice mocks.

"No."

"_Jealousy isn't a good thing, Sasuke," _He laughs, _"Though; it can sometimes lead people in the right direction…"_

"I'm not _jealous_," I grumble.

"_Like I said, jealousy can lead people in the right direction. Perhaps you should follow it…"_

"Che. And _like I said_, I'm _not_ _jealous_."

Sakura and Kiba stop at an ice cream stand— I can tell because of the scent—, allowing me to drag my heavy body up to meet them. I don't remember being able to smell ice cream— though this is not surprising as of late— but, but despite my hunger, the sweet smell of sugar and chocolate isn't all that inviting. (Sweets were never really my thing.)

"Sakura," I exhale, moving my fingers to graze her arm. I wait for a response, though I get the usual silence. Every time I am with Sakura, I attempt at establishing a connection with her. And I am referring to nearly every second of the day. More often than not, Kiba is with her, so the feat is seems to be a whole lot more difficult.

"_Sakura_," I repeat, saying it about five more times while she picks out her ice cream.

"_It's been a month, and you have been trying the same thing with no results." _I hear.

"So?"

The ebullient salesman hands Sakura an ice cream cone over the counter and she immediately lifts it up to Kiba's face. He flashes a crooked grin before licking it, causing Sakura's grey eyes to ignite with joy. I'm guessing the frozen sweet is strawberry flavored, since it is her favorite. After being around Sakura for so long, it's one of the many things I've learn about her. I also learned that it is tradition for her and Kiba to stop by this exact shop about once or twice a week.

"_So, I'm saying you don't have much time left,"_ The voice grumbles.

"Three months," I state, "Is probably more than enough to get some kind of reaction."

The couple continues walking, Sakura linking arms with Kiba, and me at her other flank with my fingers still brushing her arm. I close my eyes and focus my thoughts on Sakura.

The voice sighs.

"_You always take things for granted."_

* * *

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* * *

Naruto was never one I trusted my life with. Well, perhaps, at times I did, though if it were in a box and I had to leave that box behind in someone's hands, that someone wouldn't be Naruto. For this reason, I don't attempt speaking to Naruto. Plus, he isn't the one with a shackle stuck on his wrist.

I let my head fall back on the stony back of the couch, wishing for it to be as soft as it is to people in the real world, and stare at the dark ceiling. The lights are off in Sakura's apartment, curtaining my sight with an endless shade of black, and occasionally a sliver of grey light that comes from her living room windows. I've been waiting for her since twilight, and it is practically midnight. Sakura had gone off somewhere with Kiba. And having enough of their sappiness, I opted to stay.

"Where the hell is that girl?" I groan. The quicker she gets her, the more time I have to speak to her. To tell her that I have three months to live. Hopefully I'll wake up before that… Though I would need Sakura to do that.

Half of me expects the voice to respond in some witty way, or make some conversation, but he doesn't. I am left in silence, blinking through the darkness. With my left hand I finger the hard, freezing, links of the chain and let my mind wander. Perhaps if I tried hard enough, I could snap the fetter. What if that is the key to my release? What if I need Sakura to break the chain? I run over all of these possibilities in my brain, though I am drawn out of my trance when I hear the apartment door open.

Finally.

I stand and begin walking over to Sakura's room— because every night she goes straight there— when abruptly my ears pop, ringing for several minutes before the sound dims. The echo of kisses and rough breathing— that I couldn't hear before— bombards my ears, causing me to peer over at the apartment door. My poor eyesight mysteriously fades, giving me a clear image of two mingling figures. I restrain a gag.

As Sakura and Kiba grope at each other, I make way to leave the area through the painted living room wall. Only, instead of going through, my face smacks against the wood. I recoil back, shocked.

"What the hell? Why can't I go?" I call out, looking up towards the ceiling.

The only sound is of Sakura and Kiba exchanging saliva— stridently— and pulling themselves to her bedroom.

When they make it to their destination and shut the door, the noises only get louder. My hands shoot up to cup my ears, although it is in vain. It feels as though the sounds pass right through my palms. My stomach drops when there is a violent jerk of the chain, pulling me facedown into the cold wooden floor. The next thing I know is that I am being swiftly dragged somewhere.

A few seconds later, I halt. A soft moan escapes Sakura's lips— Sakura's? Well, it's too feminine to be Kiba's—, and I lift my head up I see a large bed towering over. So I've ended up in Sakura's room. Perfect. I press my palms against the wooden floor panels, but a force presses down on my back, washing all efforts to get up away and knocking the breath right out of me. I try once more to get up, grunting at the weight, but fail again. Sakura mumbles something, but all I can focus on is the God awful, retch-inducing, brain-stabbing, _noises_ they are making. All sounds coming from them hit my ears as if I am standing next to a large, ringing bell, the moans and kisses echoing infinitely through every nerve in my brain until at last they gather into a headache— one so painful it makes me cringe.

"Oh, Kiba," Sakura moans, and a black thing flies in the air. It lands next to me. A shirt. I grit my teeth, spotting one more thing soar instantly through the air— another shirt. The headache becomes brutally worse at the realization of what these two things mean.

"Hey!" I roar, "_Voice_! Do something! I can't move!"

Sakura's voice is getting louder… It is beginning to twinge my ears.

My lips turn down, and I simultaneously recognize the irony scent of blood, probably from the warm liquid I feel dripping from my nose, forming a tiny puddle against my cheek. I squeeze my eyelids together tightly. I don't understand… why this is happening. The answers are never clear to me, no matter how hard I contemplate the right and wrong ways to solve this dilemma. It seems yet again something unspeakably puzzling is happening, and the voice won't lend some advice.

"_Don't ask me for advice. Ask _them." the voice spits, at last.

"As if they could help," I groan. Blood fills my ears, overflowing the one face-up and causing it to drip to my mouth.

"_Quickly."_

As much as I had liked to stay calm, that one word sends me into a whirlpool of panic. Whatever blood that was left in my veins was now surging through me and creating an uncomfortable knot in my stomach.

"Sakura," I say, "SAKURA!"

Moans, and more damned moans. They make my intestines churn the wrong way and cause my blood to boil. Another article of clothing flies from the bed, and a sharp pang hits my brain. I hiss, struggling to move.

"Will you _stop_! Stop whatever the hell it is you are doing, because it obviously isn't working out in my favor!" I bellow. I can feel the heat rising to my head. Judging by the continuation of their actions, neither one hears me.

"Just freaking _listen_, for once! It's been a whole month! That mutt you have been clinging to is getting to your head, distracting you! What happened to comradeship?" My brain, with all that is being said, might just pop.

"_Kiba_, you filthy _bastard_! Get off of her so she can hear me! Sakura. Sakura!" I bite my lower lip in attempt to calm, "Sakura… I'm _begging_ you to listen. If you don't… then I'll die."

I am hoping for some kind of reaction to my words. I've only begged to a few people in my lifetime, none of whom include her, so naturally these words would mean a lot. At least I think so. I frown. Perhaps… none of it has gotten through. As always. This brings out another fit of rage built up in my chest, because I am sure that this is as far as I can go in trying to woo Sakura. Though, it really isn't "wooing".

The voice is clearly playing games with me.

Just as I open my mouth to unleash my anger on this _voice_, someone else speaks first.

"Mm, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba," Sakura sighs, "I… love you."

Suddenly I can't hear a thing, as if I have gone deaf. The previous sounds that had fueled my headache— however, the headache was _still_ present— did not exist anymore. A force, more powerful than the one currently parading on my spine, squishes me flatter against the ground, cracking more than twenty precious bones. With that harsh push to the floorboards, a slash erupts inside my ribcage. Déjà vu… Though I can't remember where I last felt this.

My heart feels like paper being ripped up into shreds by cold hands, or like it is being repeatedly stabbed with my own electrically charged Kusanagi. The only contrast is that the pain is much, much worse.

Beyond words.

A waterfall of blood pours from my mouth and nose, stinging my senses bitterly. I gag and cough, though while all this pain and blood-spill is occurring, the grey fetter launched in my chest is shooting out at enormous speeds, never quite seeming to end.

At last, when the chain finally comes to a dying halt, sounding a faint _click_, I pass out, but not before feeling the warmth of the pool of blood beneath my collapsed heap. Oddly, I feel… comfortable for once.

* * *

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* * *

"_One month."_

The two resounding words hit me like a kunai, setting a sinking feeling in my core— lately that's all I _have_ been feeling. Although my body is groggy, and as heavy as a boulder, I shoot up, the first thing worth noticing being the unconventionally empty,— and _extremely blurry_— clean room of Sakura Haruno. My eyes dizzy and I clutch the side of my head as I rotate around to spot signs of life.

"One month?" I yell, cringing at how my own voice causes a severe pain in my ear.

"_Yes. You've been asleep for two."_

Bringing myself to my knees first, I stand and rub my sore back, "Asleep my ass. What I went through last night did not cause me to sleep."

"_It did."_

I dub today being _not_ the day to argue with the voice.

Alas, I ignore the him and reach for my chest. Expecting to feel the chain, I astonishingly feel nothing.

When I look down I indeed see a _chain_— _my_ chain. _The_ chain. — Though what really catches my eye as being out of the norm is my hands. I bring them to my face, slowly examining them. They are nearly transparent, bearing a light grey lining and nothing else. My insides are completely emptied out and clear.

I swipe at the chain, exhaling with dropped shoulders as my hand passes through without interference.

Things couldn't possibly get weirder…

* * *

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* * *

Finding Sakura is no easy task. The chain swerves, piles up, and overlaps, and with my speed the journey is not a short one. Though, halfway through the trip, I finally stumble upon Sakura at the Hokage's office with the rest of team seven— Naruto and Kakashi. Judging by how many different sections of the chain overlap in and out of the door, I can tell she visits her master often.

I saunter straight through Tsunade's wooden door, catching her in midsentence.

"— can't stay like this forever. And at this rate, he won't survive past another three months. His condition is just making it harder on his body.

"So," She sighs, tenting her finger in front of her face, "We have made a deadline. This isn't a compromise, but we would like consent, just to make things easier on us, and to ensure a smooth completion of the task. Bare in mind, if you do not consent, it will be disregarded anyway. There is nothing we can do to otherwise guarantee a profitable outcome on both sides of this."

"_We_ have made a deadline?" Sakura questions.

"We as in Kakashi and I."

Sakura looks over at Kakashi skeptically.

"So you want to kill him?"

Tsunade wrinkles her brow, gazing down at her paperwork behind her linked hands.

"Not _kill_. '_Put to sleep'_." She corrects, staring at the three of them; mainly Naruto, whose head is down. He is silent.

"I consent," Sakura says quickly, causing me to raise a brow at her. Whoever they are deciding to kill, she seems fairly eager to get it done with.

"Are you sure?" Tsunade probes, "You know, I can give you some time to think over your decision, if you want."

"No," Sakura says, noticeably straightening her back and lifting her chin, "I consent."

"Okay," Tsunade murmurs, looking weakly down at her papers, "And Naruto?"

There is a prolonged silence as Naruto clenches and unclenches his fists tightly.

"Naruto? If you need time, I can give you time."

He shakes his head.

"No? You do not consent?"

"No, I don't."

"But, Naruto," Sakura butts in, grabbing his arm, "There is nothing we can do. Like Tsunade said, he'll die within the next few months. Why put him through this pain when—?"

"Sakura, you of all people should not be the one to consent," Naruto growls. He lifts his head to glower at her, "Sasuke is a strong shinobi. He would never die from something like this. At least give him the right to rejoice before you go off and kill him without _his_ consent."

My breath catches in my throat. They were talking about _me_? _ME_?A wave of hatred flows over my head. At least Naruto isn't one to betray me, unlike the others.

But then again, he never betrays anyone.

Sakura's jaw drops, the edges of her eyes brimming with tiny tears that never quite spill over. Tsunade and Kakashi seem to be looking somewhere off in the distance with dropped faces. Though, Naruto simply walks to the exit and opens the door, pausing, "I _never_ abandon a friend. And I never expected either one of you to either."

Giving a pointed look at Kakashi's back, he slams the door, leaving the others somewhat in a state of shock. After two minutes, Sakura lets out a shaky breath, hugging her arms low at her waist and peering down at the ground.

"Well," Tsunade exhales, "The date is set then."

Sakura and I look up at her.

"Sasuke Uchiha will die in one month. On New Year's day."

My throat closes.

"_You better get a move on."_

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* * *

I am beginning to get sick of this world. Everything from the trees to the people, and even to the hues, is screwed up. This voice is just set on torturing me, isn't he? Couldn't he see that I was trying to _live_?

I frown, touching the dust of what used to be Sakura's flower with my fingers. It puzzles me why the nurses don't just clean the mess up. Just the sight of it, a crumpling old flower, lifeless, a memento of what sliver of hope I _used _to have, makes a bubble of something— some feeling I don't identify with— evolve in my stomach.

I look over to the cot and spot my pale, sick, and weak body. The machine next to it indicate a heart rate so low I am practically convinced that the others are right about me— that I am going to die soon, regardless of if they take action or not.

What the hell am I supposed to do now…?

* * *

_/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\_

_|||\{To be continued…}/|||_

/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\~/~\

* * *

**An apple for your thoughts?**

**A/N: I did not have fun writing that little bed scene between Sakura and Kiba, fyi. Poor Sasuke... haha. Okay, so I've been reading some other fanfics (nothing unusual), and what interested me was a regular update date that they had! So, without further or do, I will announce the regular update date for this fic.**

**Blatantly Chained**_ will be updated EVERY Saturday! And if I can't, I will let you know ahead of time ^_^ This will be going on at least for the summer. (Because I have a month left until I go back to school, and I need to get to reading) _

_[[There will be no update for this tomorrow, I'm sorry. This was originally going to be posted tomorrow, but I just couldn't wait! Plus it leaves me more time for other writing]]_

**The Fame**_ will be updated every Sunday, possibly Saturday too. (Same drill if I can't)_

**My Match**_ is on Haitus._

**Sunlight and Shadows**_ is getting on the road (for once). :) Expect a new chapter soon… hopefully._

**NEW STORY!**** I shouldn't, because I still need to update everything else, but hey, I love this new idea. Wait and see :))!**

**I hope everyone is having a great summer! :D**

**Please review!**

**(Sorry or errors, typos, mistakes, ect.) I hope you all enjoyed it, nonetheless!**

**Disclaimer: **Oh please. Like I really own such a thing :P

**PS: I posted a poll! Please check it out on my profile!**

**Oh, and constructive criticism is welcome! :D Sorry for the short chapter too**


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